DUBAI, July 9: Two protesters were killed in Saudi Arabia in overnight clashes with police following the arrest of a prominent Shia cleric, activists said on Monday.

Akhbar Shakuri and Mohammed Filfel died and a dozen other protesters were wounded during the clashes that erupted when police opened fire to disperse a demonstration against the arrest of Sheikh Nimr al Nimr, said the activists.

The violence occurred in Riyadh Street, the main artery of Qatif city in Eastern Province, they said.

The interior ministry described Sheikh Nimr as an “instigator of sedition” as it announced that he was arrested at Al Awamiya in Eastern Province on Sunday, after being wounded in the leg while putting up resistance.

He was transferred to hospital and was due to be interrogated, ministry spokesman Mansur Turki said, cited by the official SPA news agency.

“Security forces will not tolerate instigators of sedition who have offended their society and homeland, making of themselves tools in the hands of the nation’s enemies,” Mr Turki said. Sheikh Nimr’s arrest came 10 days after he had said he was confident that his arrest or killing would be a “motivation” for protests to reignite.—AFP